Colorado State hitters left to battle it out

Volleyball team looking for right punch from left side

True freshman Michelle Lawrence tips a ball over the block of teammate Kelsey Snider in practice on Tuesday. Lawrence is in the mix to play as an outside hitter this season. (Steve Stoner)

A hammer.

That's what Tom Hilbert is looking for on the left side. Somebody who makes smart plays, has a low error total and brings velocity on every swing.

When camp started for his Colorado State volleyball team last week, that person was not on campus. That doesn't mean that by the time the Rams host Baylor on Aug. 30, Hilbert won't have that player in the starting lineup through development.

It's not like he doesn't have options to run through the spot, either.

"We don't have to get it set," Hilbert said. "I bet it ends up being a rotation of different people. Right now it would be Marlee (Reynolds) and Kaila (Thomas), but this freshman (Michelle Lawrence) is starting to figure some things out. And then with Marlee and Kaila, their issues are, once they're fatigued, it's basically just a pillow fight for them; they're not really bringing it. If I can get those guys to bring it the whole time, they'll start. If not, then it becomes Dri (Culbert) gets involved, this kid gets involved. (Cayla) Broadwater, she's pretty good."

The past two years the spot has produced third-team All-American efforts from Dana Cranston and Katelyn Steffen. Those aren't things that go unnoticed, and having the position wide open at the start of camp has a tendency to bring out a fire in players.

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"It's just very, very motivating for me," said Reynolds, a junior who played in 39 sets last year and finished with 18 kills. "It makes you want to work your freaking butt off to get that spot. I think it's also a fun position to be in, because you're competing every second of practice. You're competing with Kaila or Michelle of whoever else. It just ups the intensity of our hitting in practice."

Junior Marlee Reynolds saw limited action last year for Colorado State, but she's looked good early in practice as she battles for one of the outside hitting positions.
(STEVE STONER)

Thomas, also a junior, played 54 sets in 2012, collecting 79 kills, and both she and Reynolds hit around .250. That allows Lawrence, a true freshman, to be somewhat of a wild card in camp.

First, she's had to adapt to the college game, noting the players are bigger and stronger and the speed and height of the game are beyond what she's seen. That won't make her back down from the challenge, and she's working to make herself part of the equation.

"Every day in practice, all of us are super-competitive," she said. "We all do want to start, we all do want to play for this team, because we think we can be an excellent team this year. Every single one of us is fighting for a position, and I'm along with everyone else. I want to be playing."

Reynolds also spent the offseason working on the physical demands of the position, but she knows the right mindset has to go along with the role. Being able to put a ball down at a key moment takes a bit of attitude, which she says plays just as big of a role in her growth.

"It's definitely developed since my freshman year," she said. "We talked about having an edge and finding what your edge is, and I think I'm starting to figure it out. Once I do, I think I will bring that terminalness to the outside."